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Time-resolved Brownian tomography of single nanocrystals in liquid during oxidative etching

Author

Listed:
  • Sungsu Kang

    (Seoul National University
    Institute for Basic Science (IBS)
    University of Chicago)

  • Joodeok Kim

    (Seoul National University
    Institute for Basic Science (IBS))

  • Sungin Kim

    (Seoul National University
    Institute for Basic Science (IBS)
    Cornell University)

  • Hoje Chun

    (Yonsei University)

  • Junyoung Heo

    (Seoul National University
    Institute for Basic Science (IBS))

  • Cyril F. Reboul

    (National Institutes of Health (NIH))

  • Rubén Meana-Pañeda

    (National Institutes of Health (NIH))

  • Cong T. S. Van

    (National Institutes of Health (NIH))

  • Hyesung Choi

    (Seoul National University
    Institute for Basic Science (IBS))

  • Yunseo Lee

    (Seoul National University
    Institute for Basic Science (IBS))

  • Jinho Rhee

    (Seoul National University
    Institute for Basic Science (IBS))

  • Minyoung Lee

    (Seoul National University
    Institute for Basic Science (IBS))

  • Dohun Kang

    (Seoul National University
    Institute for Basic Science (IBS))

  • Byung Hyo Kim

    (Soongsil University)

  • Taeghwan Hyeon

    (Seoul National University
    Institute for Basic Science (IBS))

  • Byungchan Han

    (Yonsei University)

  • Peter Ercius

    (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Won Chul Lee

    (Hanyang University)

  • Hans Elmlund

    (National Institutes of Health (NIH))

  • Jungwon Park

    (Seoul National University
    Institute for Basic Science (IBS)
    Seoul National University
    Seoul National University)

Abstract

Colloidal nanocrystals inherently undergo structural changes during chemical reactions. The robust structure-property relationships, originating from their nanoscale dimensions, underscore the significance of comprehending the dynamic structural behavior of nanocrystals in reactive chemical media. Moreover, the complexity and heterogeneity inherent in their atomic structures require tracking of structural transitions in individual nanocrystals at three-dimensional (3D) atomic resolution. In this study, we introduce the method of time-resolved Brownian tomography to investigate the temporal evolution of the 3D atomic structures of individual nanocrystals in solution. The methodology is applied to examine the atomic-level structural transformations of Pt nanocrystals during oxidative etching. The time-resolved 3D atomic maps reveal the structural evolution of dissolving Pt nanocrystals, transitioning from a crystalline to a disordered structure. Our study demonstrates the emergence of a phase at the nanometer length scale that has received less attention in bulk thermodynamics.

Suggested Citation

  • Sungsu Kang & Joodeok Kim & Sungin Kim & Hoje Chun & Junyoung Heo & Cyril F. Reboul & Rubén Meana-Pañeda & Cong T. S. Van & Hyesung Choi & Yunseo Lee & Jinho Rhee & Minyoung Lee & Dohun Kang & Byung H, 2025. "Time-resolved Brownian tomography of single nanocrystals in liquid during oxidative etching," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-56476-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56476-8
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